The Walmart in New Mexico was a hoot. The entire town has really embraced the whole alien thing and the Walmart was no different, it was completely decked out with murals of aliens on the front of the building and on the bus stations. There was a whole section in the front of the store with alien stuff - from alien water to alien beer, magnets, postcards, you name it, they sold it. It was hysertical. And I swear the people that work there are not from this world. Such an odd bunch - I think I even saw a guy in an "Edgar suit"!
We walked around downtown Roswell for a little while and went in and out of the touristy alien shops. We even made a stop at the alien museum, but opted out of the tour and just headed to the gift shop. We had breakfast at this little cafe in town, nice folks - bad coffee.
So as we were in and out of the shops, I asked the one shop keepers where Area 51 was, she told me Nevada. Oops. We got to talking to one of the check out girls in the museum gift shop (see jerky flirt posting) and found out that nothing actually happened in Roswell. No spacecraft landing, no little green men with antenas, no flashy things in the sky. The reason Roswell is famous is because in 1947 Roswell was the closest major town to the landing site in northern AZ, 4 hours away. Good information to know. BTW - they say that there have been "sightings" in Roswell over the past 60+ years. Guess the little green men are salty that all their stuff is hiding out in a small town in NM.
After Roswell we headed north to Albuquerque (Abq from now on - that word is a pain to type), Home of the 5 Minute Shower. We arrived in Abq about 4:30 Monday afternoon and found a campsite to stay for the night. We checked in and found out that there is a limit on shower time this being the desert and all. So it's one 5 minute shower per person, per night. But ya see, we had not showered in a few days and really NEEDED a nice long hot shower. We asked if we could purchase another shower, but the painted lipped lady had to ask her husband first. In the end, they gave us each an extra token for another shower. We used them in the morning and took a nice long, hot shower before getting back on the road and heading into town.
During the night in NM, we had this crazy, crazy thunderstorm. Because even though we were in the desert it rained, like it always does, where ever we go. I kid you not, every place we have been to, it has rained. It rained in KY, in TN, in MO, OK, TX, NM, AZ. We could make a fortune as rainmakers. I swear to God. We actually saw and took pictures of "our cloud". See somewhere in the desert we were driving and saw these big beautiful white puffy clouds and in front of those clouds was a little dark cloud, just hanging out. That little dark cloud is ours, it follows us everywhere just to let us know it's thinking about us. Cute. Kinda.
So anyway back to the thunderstorm in NM, it was bad, like end of the world bad and so unbelieveably loud that it shook the ground and our tent. I woke Ike up to make sure he thought we were safe. He mumbled something and went back to sleep. Helpful. It was a long night for me. :(
A quick call to Tracy Tuesday afternoon and we found a great Mexican place for lunch. Can't be in the southwest and not have Mexican. The food was awesome and the server was hysterical. We couldn't do the Sandiea Peak tram tour thing that took you up the mountain in a gondola type thing because it was too hot for the dogs to stay in the car, so we headed out of Abq and figured out where to go next.
Where to go next was a question...we had had enough of the desert heat for a while so we decided to head to Colorado. I heard a rumor that there was free beer in CO.
We drove all night from NM to CO and arrived about an hour outside Golden CO about 2 am Wednesday and slept in another Walmart parking lot. I have to say there is nothing more humbling than brushing your teeth in a Walmart parking lot. :)
We toured the Coors brewery the next morning (Wednesday) and got there early enough that we were in line when the first tour bus pulled up. We got on the second tour bus and it was such a cool tour. They even gave you free beer during the tour and 3 free beers after - it was awesome! After the tour we ate lunch in the Safeway parking lot overlooking the streets of Golden and then headed to Vail and Aspen. The drive was VERY windy...holy crap! Vail was pretty cool and a cute little town. Aspen was horrible, prententious and snotty....but really beautiful.
The drive through the Rockies was absolutly breathtaking. The mountains are incredible. We camped about an hour outside of Aspen on Wednesday night. The views from the campsite were amazing. Words can't really describe it.
On Thursday we drove through Aspen and made our way to Utah.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Lost connection....
So on July 4th I blogged for two hours about the past week and then lost the connection hence wiping out all the information I had just typed. Only the first part was saved and posted. So here it goes again...I'll post in sections this time.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
"Jerky Flirt"
Here is a scarey peek inside my brain. (Somewhere btwn Aspen and Grand Junction CO...)
Steph...you know in the movie "Broke Back Mountain?" How did those guys decide it was okay to hook-up when they didn't know the other was gay?
"Where in the world did that come from?"
Well I'm going to tell you the whole thought process...I was thinking about how much we manage to fit into this van (still with no name) and I'm glad we have this van, and how I don't want to have to try to repack the other van if we had to get it back...you know, i was thinking about having to return the seats to KC and if Kinzel might go with me if you know he was free...would I want to take the big tent or little tent...
"So are you afraid Kinzel and you might be gay?"
That's funny, but no. I would be flattered but I don't think either of us would be going "Broke back..."
"I would take the big tent if I were you...then you guys can share the air mattress..."
You're missing the point here, how did those to guys know it was okay to get it on...when none of them were open about being gay...I think that is kinda weird...
"Let's just say you were in a tent with someone, you wouldn't just sleep with them, just because you are in the same tent right? Let's say Kinzel was gay and you're not..."
Quit it...neither of us are gay...Let's say it was Heath Ledger and me and he can be gay, but I'm not...would he come on to me if he knew I wasn't gay...
"People regardless of whether they are gay or not, will flirt when they are around someone who they are attracted to..."
Wait...How do you know if some one is flirting?
"Whatever, you are such a flirt..."
I don't know what you are talking about...you say I'm a flirt but I don't flirt, and I can't tell if someone is flirting with me...
"Right, because everytime I leave you somewhere, I find you talking to some chick or flirting with some one...Like the the ladies at the eye doctor's...you always flirt with them, they love you..."
Whoa, wait I do not flirt with Virginia, she's like someone's grandmother...I don't find her attractive why would I flirt with her...
"You know how you do it..."
I am not flirting, I know that I can come off as a jerk, so I make a concious effort to be nice to everyone...
"No, you're still a jerk...and a flirt...you're the worst type of flirt... a jerky flirt...women love jerky flirts...cuz you really don't care what people think so you will say whatever you think, but then you know how to be nice too...so it gets confusing and intriguing, because you are nice but at the same time you are condiscending..."
What are you talking about? I am not a flirt...I need to ask some of my female friends...Do you think Terry would say I'm a flirt? I know Lenny and Jason are flirts...I'm not like them...I'm going to ask Suzanne, she'll tell me if I'm a flirt...
Steph...you know in the movie "Broke Back Mountain?" How did those guys decide it was okay to hook-up when they didn't know the other was gay?
"Where in the world did that come from?"
Well I'm going to tell you the whole thought process...I was thinking about how much we manage to fit into this van (still with no name) and I'm glad we have this van, and how I don't want to have to try to repack the other van if we had to get it back...you know, i was thinking about having to return the seats to KC and if Kinzel might go with me if you know he was free...would I want to take the big tent or little tent...
"So are you afraid Kinzel and you might be gay?"
That's funny, but no. I would be flattered but I don't think either of us would be going "Broke back..."
"I would take the big tent if I were you...then you guys can share the air mattress..."
You're missing the point here, how did those to guys know it was okay to get it on...when none of them were open about being gay...I think that is kinda weird...
"Let's just say you were in a tent with someone, you wouldn't just sleep with them, just because you are in the same tent right? Let's say Kinzel was gay and you're not..."
Quit it...neither of us are gay...Let's say it was Heath Ledger and me and he can be gay, but I'm not...would he come on to me if he knew I wasn't gay...
"People regardless of whether they are gay or not, will flirt when they are around someone who they are attracted to..."
Wait...How do you know if some one is flirting?
"Whatever, you are such a flirt..."
I don't know what you are talking about...you say I'm a flirt but I don't flirt, and I can't tell if someone is flirting with me...
"Right, because everytime I leave you somewhere, I find you talking to some chick or flirting with some one...Like the the ladies at the eye doctor's...you always flirt with them, they love you..."
Whoa, wait I do not flirt with Virginia, she's like someone's grandmother...I don't find her attractive why would I flirt with her...
"You know how you do it..."
I am not flirting, I know that I can come off as a jerk, so I make a concious effort to be nice to everyone...
"No, you're still a jerk...and a flirt...you're the worst type of flirt... a jerky flirt...women love jerky flirts...cuz you really don't care what people think so you will say whatever you think, but then you know how to be nice too...so it gets confusing and intriguing, because you are nice but at the same time you are condiscending..."
What are you talking about? I am not a flirt...I need to ask some of my female friends...Do you think Terry would say I'm a flirt? I know Lenny and Jason are flirts...I'm not like them...I'm going to ask Suzanne, she'll tell me if I'm a flirt...
"You're going to ask Suzanne? What do you think she's going to say...you ask her what she's wearing everytime you talk to her on the phone..."
Well maybe she might not be the best person to ask...I'm going to ask Terry and I know, MB...they'll tell me the truth...Jerky Flirt...what the hell are you talking about?...
"What can I tell you...you're a Jerky Flirt...the worst kind, or maybe the best kind depending how you look at it..."
Well if I knew I had this ability, I would chanel it...to...you know so I could consciously turn it off...not to lead any chicks on...you know...
"Then you could just be a jerk..."
At least I wouldn't send the wrong message to any gay guys in a tent...
-IKE
I don't know Lloyd, the French are assholes...
I have always wanted to go to Aspen CO, since we missed it my last go around with the guys...I heard that Aspen was the place to be, because "the beer flows like wine, and the women flock like the salmon of Capistrono..."
So I told Steph let's not go to AZ just yet. We need a chance in climate. I know a place where the beer flows like beer straight our of the Rockies. It didn't take much to convince her, because we were both tired of sweating and...well...not only do they brew Steph's favorite beer, Blue Moon, in Golden CO, but it is free!
After a quick tour of the Coors brewery, we found Marley in the driver seat and Petty riding shotgun. We have our suspicions that the girls were trying to find a way to the Purina factory half a mile down the road.
From Golden, we were on our way to Aspen. Up and down a few mountains on RT 70 west, we were awestruck by the landscape. We sat with the windows down, in a traffic jam at the base of a mountain listening to Tom Petty for about half an hour only to go about 2 miles. Back on our way we climbed and descended a few more mountains...the DJ on the radio told us that the low temperature for the night was going to be around 40 degrees. This became apparent as we climbed a few more mountains and saw snow on the ground, big, frozen, piles of snow!
We left 70 for a much smaller road that climed some more mountains, but this time it was a little different. The roads were two lanes, and sometimes one lane at certain spots. We got out to let the girls potty and to look down on the mountain we had just climbed.
We luckily found a camp ground about an hour outside of Aspen. Before getting there, we loaded up on our s'more ingredients and hot cocoa and some brauts we would cook over the fire. We've learned from our past that we will need to put the rain fly on. Besides, it was getting chilly as the sun went down. Not to disappoint, mother nature brought on some more rain. I had just gotten the perfect campfire started, the embers were red hot and the logs caught flame with the slightest breeze. Then came the rain. We ate our bratwurst sandwiches and plain pasta standing under the gate of the of the mini-van(which we have yet to name). Our hopes of gorging on s'mores and sitting by the fire were washed away by the steady rain. Steph got the girls settled in the tent and I put out the fire. Ironically the fire was not so easily extinguished as our plans to enjoy it. I spread the embers out went into the tent. We went from sweating our selves to sleep to stacking our sleeping bags and blankets on top ourselves to stay warm. Since I get hot in my sleep, I slept in shorts and a t-shirt. I realized how foolish I was when I got up in the middle of the night to answer nature's urgent call. I was close to literally freezing my nuts off, I may have left icicles on the the tree stump I visited feet away from the tent.
In the morning we got back on the road. This time it was Steph's turn to climb the mountains. It was fun to see her knuckles turn white as she gripped the steering wheel, maneuvering through 180 degree bends on a 2/1 lane road up Mt. Elbert (I think it was named after the fat guy who critiques movies) which happens to be CO's tallest peak at 14433 ft. Well we got to the top right at the Continental Divide with snow on the ground. The view added with the high elevation was breath taking... There was a guy in a stretchy tank top and shorts panting in front of our van. He had just biked up the mountain. That was breath-taking. I was worn out just watching Steph steer our way up the mountain, I could not believe that someone had the urge to bike up that mountain. To the bicycle man, I raise my free Blue Moon to you and drink to your achievement.
I was eagerly looking forward to visiting Aspen, and trying to locate Mary Swanson or was it Samsonite. Either way, Harry was right. The French are assholes and so are the inhabitants of Aspen. This was exclamated by the kid who tried to pull out in front of us without looking and yelled at us to slow down, as we drove by him going the blazing speed of 10 mph. Then came the gas station that charged us $4 for a bag of ice. Steph just paid them from our tube of quarters and walked away. I wondered if the ice could do tricks, or if it was much different than the pile of snow on the ground on the side of the mountain.
I fell asleep on the way to Utah with visions of bicyclists, free beer, perfect campfires, and uneaten s'mores. Good thing I wasn't driving.
-IKE
So I told Steph let's not go to AZ just yet. We need a chance in climate. I know a place where the beer flows like beer straight our of the Rockies. It didn't take much to convince her, because we were both tired of sweating and...well...not only do they brew Steph's favorite beer, Blue Moon, in Golden CO, but it is free!
After a quick tour of the Coors brewery, we found Marley in the driver seat and Petty riding shotgun. We have our suspicions that the girls were trying to find a way to the Purina factory half a mile down the road.
From Golden, we were on our way to Aspen. Up and down a few mountains on RT 70 west, we were awestruck by the landscape. We sat with the windows down, in a traffic jam at the base of a mountain listening to Tom Petty for about half an hour only to go about 2 miles. Back on our way we climbed and descended a few more mountains...the DJ on the radio told us that the low temperature for the night was going to be around 40 degrees. This became apparent as we climbed a few more mountains and saw snow on the ground, big, frozen, piles of snow!
We left 70 for a much smaller road that climed some more mountains, but this time it was a little different. The roads were two lanes, and sometimes one lane at certain spots. We got out to let the girls potty and to look down on the mountain we had just climbed.
We luckily found a camp ground about an hour outside of Aspen. Before getting there, we loaded up on our s'more ingredients and hot cocoa and some brauts we would cook over the fire. We've learned from our past that we will need to put the rain fly on. Besides, it was getting chilly as the sun went down. Not to disappoint, mother nature brought on some more rain. I had just gotten the perfect campfire started, the embers were red hot and the logs caught flame with the slightest breeze. Then came the rain. We ate our bratwurst sandwiches and plain pasta standing under the gate of the of the mini-van(which we have yet to name). Our hopes of gorging on s'mores and sitting by the fire were washed away by the steady rain. Steph got the girls settled in the tent and I put out the fire. Ironically the fire was not so easily extinguished as our plans to enjoy it. I spread the embers out went into the tent. We went from sweating our selves to sleep to stacking our sleeping bags and blankets on top ourselves to stay warm. Since I get hot in my sleep, I slept in shorts and a t-shirt. I realized how foolish I was when I got up in the middle of the night to answer nature's urgent call. I was close to literally freezing my nuts off, I may have left icicles on the the tree stump I visited feet away from the tent.
In the morning we got back on the road. This time it was Steph's turn to climb the mountains. It was fun to see her knuckles turn white as she gripped the steering wheel, maneuvering through 180 degree bends on a 2/1 lane road up Mt. Elbert (I think it was named after the fat guy who critiques movies) which happens to be CO's tallest peak at 14433 ft. Well we got to the top right at the Continental Divide with snow on the ground. The view added with the high elevation was breath taking... There was a guy in a stretchy tank top and shorts panting in front of our van. He had just biked up the mountain. That was breath-taking. I was worn out just watching Steph steer our way up the mountain, I could not believe that someone had the urge to bike up that mountain. To the bicycle man, I raise my free Blue Moon to you and drink to your achievement.
I was eagerly looking forward to visiting Aspen, and trying to locate Mary Swanson or was it Samsonite. Either way, Harry was right. The French are assholes and so are the inhabitants of Aspen. This was exclamated by the kid who tried to pull out in front of us without looking and yelled at us to slow down, as we drove by him going the blazing speed of 10 mph. Then came the gas station that charged us $4 for a bag of ice. Steph just paid them from our tube of quarters and walked away. I wondered if the ice could do tricks, or if it was much different than the pile of snow on the ground on the side of the mountain.
I fell asleep on the way to Utah with visions of bicyclists, free beer, perfect campfires, and uneaten s'mores. Good thing I wasn't driving.
-IKE
Turquois Trail Campground home of the 5 minute shower
We were all set up and laying on our air mattress, looking up at the stars through mesh in our tent. We listened to coyotes howling in the distance. Steph just started nodding off and I saw the sky light up over the mountains miles away. Well, Steph awoke to the sound of me trying to put the rain fly on by myself. Together we got the tent covered in minutes. A good thing too. Within 15 minutes of getting settled in again, the sky exploded and it began to rain...in the desert...again.
"Are we going to okay?" Steph asks me in my sleep. I told her we'll be fine between snores. She could not sleep through the thunder storm that took place feet away from our heads.
In the morning we enjoyed our five minute showers as it was the first shower we had in two days.
-IKE
"Are we going to okay?" Steph asks me in my sleep. I told her we'll be fine between snores. She could not sleep through the thunder storm that took place feet away from our heads.
In the morning we enjoyed our five minute showers as it was the first shower we had in two days.
-IKE
A week on the road goes fast.....
Sorry for the delayed posting, we have been in some remote areas and didn't have WiFi access...so here it goes:
The hotel in San Antonio was wonderful and very pet friendly. On Sunday am we left the hotel and headed into downtown San Antonio. I toured the Alamo while Ike stayed in the car with the girls. It was too hot to let them in the car without AC.
The Alamo was really interesting. The history there is incredible. I had a great time just wondering around, in and out of buildings and reading all the information I could gather. I was able to tour the church on site (the Alamo was originally a mission post) and was amazed at how the church made it through all the strife that occured.
After I finished the Alamo, we went back and forth about whether or not to take the dogs on the River Walk. It was so hot outside, we decided that it was too warm for them to be out. It was a safety call at that point.
We left San Antonio and headed to New Mexico. It was Sunday afternoon. We made it to Roswell NM on Monday am about 2. It was so much cooler than TX it was actually funny...Isn't NM the desert? :)
And there we spent our first night in a Walmart parking lot.
The hotel in San Antonio was wonderful and very pet friendly. On Sunday am we left the hotel and headed into downtown San Antonio. I toured the Alamo while Ike stayed in the car with the girls. It was too hot to let them in the car without AC.
The Alamo was really interesting. The history there is incredible. I had a great time just wondering around, in and out of buildings and reading all the information I could gather. I was able to tour the church on site (the Alamo was originally a mission post) and was amazed at how the church made it through all the strife that occured.
After I finished the Alamo, we went back and forth about whether or not to take the dogs on the River Walk. It was so hot outside, we decided that it was too warm for them to be out. It was a safety call at that point.
We left San Antonio and headed to New Mexico. It was Sunday afternoon. We made it to Roswell NM on Monday am about 2. It was so much cooler than TX it was actually funny...Isn't NM the desert? :)
And there we spent our first night in a Walmart parking lot.
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